Ross Catrow fills us in on the latest “bust” over at RVANews:
Rumor has it (ha!) that Rumors was shut down by nearly a dozen police and ABC officials tonight. Current word is that the boutique failed to pay income tax on the revenue generated by their off hours shows.
Update:
Firstly, Rumors is still open for business. The show was shut down, not the business.
The officials had seen “flyers” around for the show and noted 5$ admission charges. They showed up and despite the “5$ suggested donation” sign served the owner with a summons.
Amy Biegelsen and Brandon Reynolds give us a little backstory in this week’s Style Weekly music issue:
Rumors, on Harrison Street, started out two years ago as a designer clothing store, but added shows to its standard offerings almost immediately as a result of the constant demand by bands (both touring and local) for places to play.
Sounds like some real heinous lawbreakers.
I love the perceptive commentary developing over at RVANews, including:
I heard we need to tax small independent shows so that Richmond can afford the Performing Arts Hole in the Ground. Is that thing still there, or are we getting our rich person’s venue soon?
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I one time made 120 dollars from donations while running a show there. None of it went to Rumors because when I tried to give them $20 they refused even that small amount.
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Dear Richmond Police,
Thank you once again for keeping us safe. Thanks for wasting the tax money that it took to mobilize that many cops against a non-violent issue to secure tax funds that either don’t exist or wouldn’t be enough to pay for that one single mobilization. Thank you for never patrolling my neighborhood where there is REAL crime happening but managing to get my acoustic show at my favorite space canceled. You are so awesome.
Meanwhile, over in Chesterfield County….